Kangaroo Pattern in Progress

I'm working on a new pattern. As usual it is taking much longer than I anticipated. It was the idea of a friend on instagram. This is version number two, as the first attempt was laughable. Still a lot of work to do, but I think I am getting there. I try really hard to make my knits as realistic as I can, but with kangaroos there are a lot of types, and they do seem able to stretch themselves into different shapes. He is just posing in front of a computer screen. But there is one feature of a kangaroo that I have not even started on.

Just a reminder that there is still plenty of time left to join in my Ginx Woolly Linx party for March. Click on the photo above or at the top of the page to find the party. I would love to see what you have been working on this month.

A Few More 2CVs

2CV orders are a bit like buses. You wait for ages, and then two come along at the same time. The first order was for this black and yellow Charleston 2CV. I really like it when I have to slightly adapt my pattern. Much more interesting for me, and I was really pleased with how the side panels turned out. Here is an actual 2CV Charleston, to show you what I was aiming at.

And then just a few days later I got another order for a red 2CV. Both are knitted from my pattern Henrietta 2CV, and you can read about the original car that inspired me here.  And if you would like me to make a 2CV for you, here is link to the page on Etsy where you can place on order. Although making these little cars is part of my business, it is always very cheering when I hear someone is happy with their purchase.

Just a reminder that my Ginx Woolly Linx party for August is now running. Click on the photo above or at the top of the page to find the party. I would love to see what you have been working on this month.

Red Fox

I'm a bit short of woolly stuff this week, so thought you might like to see my daughter's latest make from school art club. Isn't he cute? He is just made from paper and masking tape, with acrylic paint. He sits on my sewing table, and might be giving me idea for a new knit. I'm not sure you would even call him paper mache, as he is just really scrunched up paper and a lot of tape.
 

He reminds me of Pablo the Red Fox, which was a beautiful children's animation I used to watch with my son when he was little. Does anyone remember it? It was based on a book by Hannah Giffard Red Fox. I bought a secondhand copy of this from the discard shelf in our library, which despite being very tatty, I keep. The illustrations are so simple and beautiful.

Other news that is that I decided to reopen my Folksy Shop. I very briefly had a shop on Folksy a few years ago, which hardly got looked at and sold nothing so I just didn't renew any of the listings. 

But Folksy have a special offer this weekend, that you can list 20 items free of charge, so I thought I would give it another try. I have put my 20 best selling patterns in.

At the moment my shop is not getting many views, and I wonder if it is a bit like Etsy, where until I got a few sales it was very slow. It also looks to the casual visitor like I have had the shop a very long time with no sales, which is probably off-putting. Or perhaps Folksy is just more of a place to sell crafted items, and not patterns. I thought that at first with Etsy, and now do fairly well there with patterns and knitted items. If you have any experience of selling on Folksy good or bad, especially of selling patterns, I would love to here about it. And if you have your own shop (or fancy opening one) now is the time to restock, as the offer only runs until the end of the day. (Just thought I should add that Folksy at present is only open to sellers in the UK.)

 

Taxi

I have finished my New York cab knitting pattern, and knitted it has reminded me of the TV comedy Taxi. Oh the lovely drivers of the Sunshine Cab Company. Taxi never seems to be repeated on UK TV, so I have not really thought about it since I used to watch in the late 1970s early 1980s. I used to love this show. I think mainly at the time because I had a bit of a crush at Tony Danza. (OK, I was very young.) I have been watching some clips on YouTube, but these days I just find myself drooling at glimpses of those lovely shiny yellow cabs in the background. How times have changed!

So many great people! First time I had seen Danny Devito, and also Christopher Lloyd. I think my favourite character was Latka (played by the late Andy Kaufman).

As you can see I have used a bit of trickery to transport my cab to New York. It is just balanced in front of a computer screen, but I think it has done the job.

So having discovered how to link to Youtube clips, here are the show credits. This instantly takes me back in time?

My knitting pattern is finished, and available Craftsy, ravelry and Etsy. It is really not a hard knit, but there is a bit of fiddling sewing up. (Have I managed to put you off?) I hope not as the end result is really cute, but if you just can't wait to own a taxi, I am putting my two samples cabs into my Etsy shop. I am sort of hoping they might find their way to someone in New York.

"You Don't Know What You've Got Till It's Gone ..."

This is just a sneaky peek at my new pattern. I don't usually do this - that is show a pattern until it is ready. But I have nothing else in the pipeline, and although the pattern is almost written, I have to make a few tweaks, and then knit another New York vintage cab, before I hope I will be set to go. 

If you are interested in knitting your own taxi, then keep watching Ginx Craft, as I will probably release the pattern in another week.

I hope most folk will get the song reference in the title of this post, so if you would like a reminder I have linked Joni Mitchell singing Big Yellow Taxi. Love this song!

Corky the Giraffe

My daughter has a bit of a craze on giraffes. Hence the giraffe onesie and numerous other giraffe stuff. So I thought you might like to see this giraffe that she has made. 

The giraffe is made from corks (can't think how those got into the house!), a drawing pin, glue and a marker pen. You also need a craft knife to cut the cork, and wire cutters to cut the wire. So this giraffe although very simple to make would need an adult to supervise.

As she is old enough to do these things herself, and I had no hand in the giraffe-making, I am going to hand over to her to explain how to make a Corky Giraffe.

Step 1. First, I went and used a knife in the kitchen to cut a cork into pieces for the feet, head, horns and ears (you should ask someone to help you or you may get into trouble). Also keep one whole cork for the body.

Step 2. Then I got some thick black wire and cut four bits the same length and one longer one.

Step 3. Using pointed pliers, I made holes and put the wire in them to make my basic giraffe. To make sure the wire stayed in place I put some glue on it.

Step 4. To make the face I put a drawing pin in him to be a nose - I let it not go the whole way in so it sticks out a bit. And stuck the horns and ears on.

Step 5. Then I used a sharpie to draw on the eyes and a tiny mouth.

Step 6. I let him dry for a few hours and then he was done!